Nearly two-dozen projects statewide that address road construction, rehabilitation and repair will share close to $168 million from Proposition 1 funding that was approved by the Texas Transportation Commission. Proposition 1, a constitutional amendment, was approved by Texas voters last November as a means of increasing transportation funding. It allowed the state to divert half of the general revenue from oil and gas tax proceeds that formerly all went into the state’s rainy day fund to the State Highway Fund instead. The result will be more than $1 billion per year that will help defray the cost of repair and maintenance of public roads.
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Executive Director Joe Weber said the agency, along with community leaders and planning organizations, submitted their recommendations for the projects to be funded. “We have selected these projects that will help address the transportation concerns of our citizens,” he said. “Texans made a strong statement in voting for Proposition 1 last November, and it is now our responsibility to ensure these funds are put to use in the most efficient and effective manner.”
These 22 projects and the remainder of the 200 planned Proposition 1 projects will result in more than 800 miles of rehabilitated highways, nearly 500 miles of new highway lanes, the addition of 159 miles of passing lanes on rural highways and replacement, widening or rehabilitation of 114 bridges. TxDOT listed among the current projects funded the construction of additional lanes on US 277 in Archer County, reconstruction and widening of FM 1637 in McLennan County and the addition of new passing lanes on SH 176 in Andrews County.
In addition to routine rehabilitation and restoration of roadways, some of the Proposition 1 funding will be used to address safety issues on Texas roadways. And, nearly 30 percent of the total of 2015 Proposition 1 funding will be dedicated to address the needs of roadways damaged in energy sectors of the state from increased truck traffic during the state’s recent growth in oil and gas exploration.